Truth
by Tifa Gainsborough
Summary: For Cloud Strife reality is more dangerous that fiction. The truth is worse than the lies that are spoken. The future is dark and empty for one Cloud Strife.


The group stood silent as Cloud continued his story

The group stood silent as Cloud continued his story. Tifa and Aerith sat on the bed side by side listening intently. Red XIII sat on the floor while Barret lounged in a chair. 

"And that's the end of my story," Cloud said finally looking at them all. Cloud sat cross-legged on the floor facing them. 

"Wait a damn minute!" Barret barked angrily. "Ain't there more?"

Cloud looked down at his feet, his face expressionless. "I don't remember"

"What happened to Sephiroth?" Aerith asked.

Blue eyes meet green eyes as Cloud searched for the proper answer to the question. "In terms of skill, I couldn't have killed him."

Tifa leaned back bracing herself on her elbows. "Official records state Sephiroth is dead. I read it in the newspaper."

Heads nodded, probably all remember the report in the newspaper five years prior. Aerith turned to Tifa with a sad smile. 

"Shinra, Inc. own the newspaper, so you can't rely on that information."

Tifa nodded at her friend, before turning burgundy eyes back to Cloud. 

"I want to know the truth," Cloud said softly again focusing on his feet. "I want to know what happened then. I challenged Sephiroth and lived. Why didn't he kill me?"

Tifa pushed herself back up into a sitting position and looked down at her bare abdomen. "I'm alive, too."

With a comforting smile Aerith rested a hand on Tifa's shoulder. Turning, Tifa met Aerith's eyes and couldn't help but smile. 

Finally they all turned back to face Cloud. Aerith spoke first, asking the question that was floating around every bodies mind. "Seems like a lot of this doesn't make sense. What about Jenova? It was in the Shinra building, right?"

"Shinra shipped it from Nibelhiem to Midgar," Cloud explained. 

"Did someone else carry it out after that? It was missing from the Shinra building," Aerith asked.

A silence fell across the room. Each person knew the answer, but nobody dared to answer it. Finally Tifa spoke softly, her voice carrying in the small room. "Sephiroth…."

Again there was silence as the name sunk in. Barret pounded his fist on the chair arm, making everybody jump.

"Damn! Don't none of this make sense! I'm going, going, going, gone! And I'm leavin the thinkin to you!" Jumping for his chair Barret crossed his way to the stairs. He stopped at the top and turned to face the group. "Yo, Cloud! Let's get a move on!"

Cloud climbed to his feet and turned burning blue eyes to Barret. "Right."

Beginning to descend the stairs Barret called over his shoulder. "Yo, c'mon lets go!"

"Oh brother," Cloud muttered with a shake of his head. Aerith and Tifa both climb to their feet, but neither makes a move.

"Cloud?" Tifa asks coming to stand next to him. Cloud turns to face her.

"Yes?"

"Is everything you speak the truth?" Tifa asked softly. Three pairs of eyes focused on Cloud waiting for a response.

"Of course it is," Cloud said sharply. "I wouldn't lie about something like this."

"But you are," Tifa said, her voice hardly above a whisper. "You never came to Nibelhiem five years ago."

"How is that possible," Aerith asked suddenly. "Everything he told us, he couldn't have made it up."

Tifa turned to face Aerith. "I want so much to believe it. But I knew something was wrong with Cloud and this just settles it. Cloud Strife did not come to Nibelhiem five years ago. A SOLDIER names Zack came to Nibelhiem with Sephiroth."

"That's a lie!" Aerith screamed, taking them all by surprise.

"Zack?" Cloud whispered his blue eyes searching.

"Cloud don't believe her. Tifa is just lying to you, trying to get you all confused," Aerith said, shoving Tifa aside taking Cloud's hand. "You had to have went to Nibelhiem, you knew all this didn't you."

Blue eyes stared unfocused, with a shake of his head Cloud pushed Aerith away. "I did go to Nibelhiem."

Tifa shook her head sadly, "No Cloud, you didn't. You weren't there, I don't even know if you were really in SOLDIER. All I know is Sephiroth came with a black haired man named Zack. Both Sephiroth and Zack died in Nibelhiem."

"Its not true!" Aerith cried, tears streaming down her face. She whirled on Tifa and grabbed the younger woman. "Zack isn't dead! Zack can't be dead."

"I'm sorry Aerith. But I remember seeing Zack. He died, Sephiroth killed him," Tifa told the weeping woman. 

With a cry Aerith spun on her heals covering her face with her hand. "No," she moaned. "No, Zack, no."

Without a second word Aerith bolted down the stairs. Red gave Tifa and Cloud a glance before following the weeping woman. Tifa turned back to Cloud, the blonde haired man was shaking his head. Under his breath he was slowly whispering something. Tifa took a step closer trying to hear what he was saying.

"Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies," Cloud chanted under his breath. 

Tifa rested one hand on his shoulder and gave him a gentle shake. "Cloud?"

Wild eyes focused on Tifa face. A grip like steal encased her arms as Cloud grabbed hold of her. With a growl of rage he shook her. 

"It's a lie! How could you fucking lie to me like this. You fucking bitch," Cloud screamed in her face. 

"Cloud, let go!"

Shoving her away Cloud turned to face the stairs. Tifa stumbled backwards, tripping over the bed. With a gasp she toppled onto the bed, unable to keep her balance. With two steps Cloud covered the distance and stood over her. 

"Back off Cloud. I mean it," Tifa ordered rolling to her feet. 

Cloud stared her down, blue eyes iced over with anger. Without a word he launched himself over the bed at her. Tifa sidestepped but Cloud grabbed her arm and drags her down with him. Tifa drove her elbow into Cloud's gut. With a grunt Cloud doubled over but wouldn't let go.

"Let go," Tifa insisted. 

Cloud fist came out of nowhere and struck her in the jaw. The strength of his Mako enhanced body surprised her. Releasing her he darted out of the way, quicker than she was. 

"Stop this Cloud," Tifa said taking a few steps backwards. "I'm not going to hurt you. Just calm down."

"Calm down? Damn-it I will not calm down. You lied to me. I was in Nibelhiem," Cloud said his voice low and harsh. 

"Will you be happy if I said you were in Nibelhiem," Tifa asked lowing her guard. She didn't want to appear threatening, afraid he would attack. 

"I was in Nibelhiem. I was in Nibelhiem. I was in Nibelhiem!" Cloud repeated over and over again. 

Without warning Cloud charged her, slamming her against the wall. Pinning her between his arms he stared her down, angry blue eyes meeting scared burgundy eyes. 

"What the hell is going on?"

Cloud and Tifa both turned to see Barret standing at the top of the stairs. Cloud took a few steps back, allowing Tifa to push away from the wall.

"Aerith went cryin out of the inn. Red finally chased her down. I repeat, what the hell is goin on?"

"I was in Nibelhiem," Cloud said.

"Sure ya were kid," Barret said, turning to face Tifa. "What's goin on?"

"Nothing," Tifa said. "Cloud just got a little upset. Right Cloud."

Cloud turned to Tifa, a lopsided grin on his face. "I was in Nibelhiem."

Tifa stepped up to his side and gently touched his shoulder. "Cloud? Are you okay?"

Cloud nodded happily, the grin never leaving his face. "I was in Nibelhiem."

"What the fuck is the matter with him," Barret demanded to know. 

"I think he's gone mad," Tifa said, tears threatening to escape. Tifa hugged the blonde man to her. Cloud happily returned the hug, not entirely certain what it was for. "I'm sorry Cloud. This is my entire fault. My mistake, all my fault."

Cloud allowed Tifa to lead him down the stairs, all the time repeating those four words. Aerith and Red greeted them at the stairs, Aerith having overcome her bought with emotion.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you Tifa," Aerith said softly. "I just didn't want to think of Zack dead."

Cloud stepped up to Aerith and gave her a smile. "I was in Nibelhiem."

Aerith and Red came to terms with Cloud's condition much faster than any of them. The four slowly led Cloud away, off to somewhere safe.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Cloud sat in his room, staring out the window into the garden. Tifa sat in a chair, Aerith in the chair next to hers. The visited him so often. But with Sephiroth growing stronger and stronger it was becoming more difficult. Rufus and Shinra were doing everything they could, but Sephiroth was still too strong. 

"How are you today Cloud?" Aerith asked.

"I was in Nibelhiem. I was in SOLDIER," Cloud said. There were only few sentences Cloud was able to say. He recognized his friends by their face, but never spoke their names. Time passed and finally Tifa and Aerith rose to leave.

Aerith exited first and Tifa began to follow.

"Tifa," Cloud's voice drifted through the room.

Tifa turned to face Cloud, hardly believing what she had just heard. Looking into those blue eyes, for just a moment the old Cloud was shinning through. 

"Tifa," Cloud paused. "I hate you."

Tifa froze, her hands trembling. She really was at fault, wanting Cloud to know the truth. If only she had known he wouldn't be able to take it.

"What did you say Cloud?"

"I was in Nibelhiem," Cloud said with a laugh. The light in those blue eyes was gone; Cloud had suddenly become an empty shell again. 

Tifa shut the door but Cloud's words still rang clear in her mind. _I hate you_. Tifa walked away from Cloud's room, trying to catch up with Aerith. Those words were the mirror of how she felt. She hated herself too.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Authors Note:** Um…. A case of writers block again. Just a little thought of what may have happened if Tifa told Cloud the truth. Since everybody bickers about it so much. I always thought this was what would happen if Tifa told him the truth. Tell me what you think.

**Disclaimer**: Tifa, Cloud, Barret, Aerith, Sephiroth, Red, Zack, Rufus, and Shinra are all owned by Squaresoft. I own nothing.


End file.
